AN AMYLOLYTIC ENZYME

Abstract: A DNA construct encoding an enzyme exhibiting amylolytic activity and a) comprising a DNA sequence encoding at least one of the partial amino acid sequences (I), and/or b) comprises a DNA sequence hybridizing with an oligonucleotide probe prepared on the basis of any of the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID Nos. 1-6, on the basis of the amino acid sequence encoded by any of the said DNA sequences or the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9, or on the basis of any of the partial amino acid sequences (a)-(R) listed in a), and/or c) encodes a polypeptide being at least 70 % homologous with the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9, as well as an amylolytic enzyme encoded by the DNA construct. The amylolytic enzyme is preferably of archaebacterial origin, such as derivable from a strain of Pyrococcus sp., e.g. P. furiosus, and may, e.g., be used for starch liquefaction.

Description: AM AMYLOLYTIC ENZYME FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a DNA construct comprising a DNA sequence encoding an amylolytic enzyme, in particular a Pyrococcus α-amylase or a variant thereof, and vector and cell harbouring the DNA construct. Furthermore, the invention re¬ lates to a process for producing the amylolytic enzyme by use of recombinant DNA techniques. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION During the last decade enzymes produced by thermophilic micro¬ organisms such as archaebacteria have been the subject of in¬ creasing interest mainly because of their high thermostability which, for a number of industrial applications, is desirable. Examples of such hyperthermophilic enzymes are those produced by strains of the thermophilic archaebacterium Pyrococcus . For instance, WO 90/11352 discloses novel Pyrococcus alpha-amylases obtained from strains of the species P. woesei and P. furiosus by conventional fermentation procedures involving culturing of the Pyrococcus strains and isolating alpha-amylase preparations therefrom. Furthermore, Koch et al. (1990) and Brown et al. (1990) describe partially purified P. furiosus α-amylase. WO 92/02614 discloses novel thermostable pullulanases obtained from Pyrococcus spp. The Pyrococcus α-amylases and pullulanases disclosed in WO 90/11352 and WO 92/02614, respectively, have been found to possess an extremely high thermostability as compared to other known α-amylases and pullulanases, and are stated to be useful in high-temperature processes involving α-amylase or pullulana- se activity. It would be desirable to facilitate the production of such amy¬ lolytic enzymes, and amylolytic enzymes in general, both with a view to improve the purity thereof and with a view to provide larger amounts of the purified enzyme at lower cost than what is possible by cultivation of a parent strain capable of ex¬ pressing the enzyme. BRIEF DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present inventor have now succeeded in cloning a DNA se¬ quence encoding an α-amylase from a strain of the archebac- terial species Pyrococcus furiosus and obtaining α-amylase expression from a host cell harbouring said DNA sequence. The present invention is based on this finding. More specifically, in a first aspect the invention relates to a DNA construct comprising a DNA sequence encoding a Pyrococcus α-amylase or a variant thereof having α-amylase activity and/or being immunologically cross-reactive with a Pyrococcus α-amy¬ lase, said DNA sequence i) comprises a partial DNA sequence as shown in SEQ ID Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5 and/or 6 or an analogue of said partial sequence capable of hybridizing with an oligonucleotide probe prepared on the basis of the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 2, 3, 4, 5 and/or 6, ii) corresponds to a genomic Pyrococcus DNA sequence located within 5 kb of a genomic DNA sequence hybridizing with an oli¬ gonucleotide probe prepared on the basis of the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 2, 3, 4, 5 and/or 6, and/or iii) comprises the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 1 or an analogue of said sequence (Capable of hybridizing^with an oli¬ gonucleotide probe prepared on the basis of the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 1. The DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 1 comprises an open reading frame encoding an α-amylase. The partial DNA sequences 2-6 constitute either part of or flank this open reading frame as will be further explained below. The term "corresponds" as used about the DNA sequence with properties ii) of the DNA construct of the invention is in¬ tended to indicate that the DNA sequence may be of any origin including a genomic, cDNA and/or synthetic origin as will be explained in further detail below. In a further aspect the present invention relates to a DNA construct encoding an enzyme exhibiting amylolytic activity, which DNA construct a) comprises a DNA sequence encoding at least one of the par¬ tial amino acid sequences (a AKYLELEEGG (SEQ ID NO 10) ? (c PGGGIWWDHI(SEQ ID NO 12) (e GISAIWLPPP(SEQ ID NO 14) (g GYDPYDYFDL(SEQ ID NO 16) (i TRFGSKEELV(SEQ ID NO 18) (k IKVIADWIN(SEQ ID NO 20) (m PFVGDYTWTD(SEQ ID NO 22) (o ANYLDFHPNE(SEQ ID NO 24) (q GFPDICHHKE(SEQ ID NO 26) (s ESYAAYLRSI(SEQ ID NO 28) (u KGYGAWWRD(SEQ ID NO 30) (x GEYWDTNVDA(SEQ ID NO 32) (z KVFDFPLYYK(SEQ ID NO 34) (B PALVYALQNG(SEQ ID NO 36) (D AVTFVANHDT(SEQ ID NO 38) (F AFILTYEGQP(SEQ ID NO 40) (H LNKDKLINLI(SEQ ID NO 42) (J TTIVYYDNDE(SEQ ID NO 44) (L RPGLITYINL(SEQ ID NO 46) (N VPKFAGACIH(SEQ ID NO 48) (P) DKRVDSSGWV(SEQ ID NO 50); (Q) YLEAPPHDPA(SEQ ID NO 51); (R) NGYYGYSVWSYCGVG (SEQ ID NO 52), and/or b) comprises a DNA sequence hybridizing with an oligonucleotide probe prepared on the basis of any of the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID Nos. 1-6, on the basis of the amino acid sequence encod¬ ed by any of the said DNA sequences or the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9, or on the basis of any of the partial amino acid sequences (a)-(R) listed in a) above, and/or c) encodes a polypeptide being at least 70% homologous with the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9. In a further aspect the invention relates to an amylolytic en- zyme encoded by this DNA construct. In the present context, the term "amylolytic activity" is in¬ tended to indicate that the enzyme in question has a starch- degrading capability. Specific examples of enzymes having amy- lolytic activity, i.e. amylolytic enzymes, includes α-amylases, pullulanases, neo-pullulanases, iso-amylases, beta-amylases, CTGases, maltogenases as well as G-4 and G-6 amylases. It is generally known that besides the above mentioned common functional feature, amylolytic enzymes have structural features in common. Thus, it has been found that the secondary structure of amylolytic enzymes comprises regions of high homology, in other words amino acid regions being highly conserved between the different types of amylolytic enzymes, vide , e.g., Pod- kovyrov (1992) , Zhou (1989) and Svensson (1988) . Partial amino acid sequences shown above, which constitute part of the Pyrococcus α-amylase having the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9 and which have been found to be novel as such, may therefore be found to be characteristic not only for the Pyrococcus α-amylase disclosed herein, but also for other amylolytic enzymes. These partial sequences are contemplated to constitute important tools in the identification and isolation of novel amylolytic enzymes. In a still further aspect the present invention relates to a vector harbouring the DNA construct of the invention, and a cell which either harbours the DNA construct or the vector of the invention. In the course of the research leading to the present invention it was surprisingly found to be possible to obtain α-amylase expression from a strain of Bacillus transformed with a Pyro¬ coccus DNA sequence without any modification of said DNA se¬ quence being required. Such modification which, e.g. involves modification or replacement of the ribosome binding site of the gene to be translated, is normally considered to be a prerequi¬ site for obtaining an efficient translation and thereby expres¬ sion from non-gram positive DNA sequences in Bacillus , cf. also the explanation given in Example 6 hereinafter. As far as the present inventors are aware there have been no prior disclosure of the expression of Pyrococcus α-amylase genes in Bacillus. WO 93/10248, which was published only after the priority date of the present application, discloses the use of Bacillus licheni- formis as a host cell for the recombinant production of certain proteins including Pyrococcus α-amylase. Based on the above described finding it is contemplated that direct expression of Pyrococcus α-amylase genes, in general, may be obtained in a strain of Bacillus and accordingly, in a particular aspect the invention relates to a recombinant aσil- lus cell, which is different from a cell of Bacillus licheni- formiε , and which harbours a DNA construct comprising a DNA sequence encoding a Pyrococcus α-amylase or a variant thereof, the DNA construct optionally being present on an expression vector. In a further aspect the present invention relates to a process for the production of a recombinant amylolytic enzyme, in par¬ ticular a recombinant Pyrococcus α-amylase or variant thereof. comprising culturing a cell as described above in a suitable culture medium under conditions permitting expression of the amylolytic enzyme, and recovering the resulting amylolytic enzyme from the culture. By use of the process of the invention it is contemplated that an amylolytic enzyme, such as a Pyrococcus α-amylase or a va¬ riant thereof, encoded by the DNA construct of the invention, may be produced in high amounts and in a high purity, thereby, for instance, being able to optimize the production of the amylolytic enzyme in question in mono-component form essen¬ tially free from any other enzymatic activities. The present invention also relates to a recombinant Pyrococcus α-amylase comprising the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9 or a variant thereof having α-amylase activity, being immunologically cross-reactive with the polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9 and/or being at least 70% homologous with the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9. In the present context the term "variant" is intended to in¬ clude a polypeptide which comprises an amino acid sequence differing from that of SEQ ID No. 9 by one or more amino acid residues. The variant may be prepared by suitably modifying a DNA sequence encoding the α-amylase, preferably a DNA sequence present in a DNA construct of the invention, resulting in the addition of one or more amino acid residues to either or both the N- and C-terminal end of the α-amylase, substitution of one or more amino acid residues at one or more different sites in the amino acid sequence, deletion of one or more amino acid residues at either or both ends of the α-amylase or at one or more sites in the amino acid sequence, or insertion of one or more amino acid residues at one or more sites in the amino acid sequence. The modification of the DNA sequence may be performed by site-directed or by random mutagenesis or a combination of these techniques in accordance with well-known procedures. Sub¬ sequent to the modification, the gene product of the modified DNA is expressed and tested for α-amylase activity, immunologi- cal cross-reactivity with a purified Pyrococcus α-amylase, or homology with the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9. It will be understood that the term "variant" is intended to in- elude a subsequence of a Pyrococcus α-amylase having α-amylase activity and/or being reactive with an antibody raised against a Pyrococcus α-amylase. It is contemplated that the Pyrococcus α-amylase encoded by the DNA construct of the invention is particularly suitable for use in starch liquefaction carried out at high temperatures. Accor¬ dingly, in a still further aspect the invention relates to a starch liquefaction process which comprises subjecting an aqueous starch slurry to enzymatic liquefaction in the presence of a Pyrococcus α-amylase or a variant of the invention. In a final aspect the invention relates to the use of an amy¬ lolytic enzyme of the invention for starch modification, in¬ cluding starch liquefaction and/or saccharification, debran- ching of starch, production of various syrups, e.g. maltose syrup, production of cyclodextrin, and production of oligosac- charides. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The partial DNA sequences apparent from SEQ ID Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 were derived from genomic clones prepared from a strain of the archaebacterial species Pyrococcus furiosus harbouring a DNA sequence of about 5 kb which encodes an α-amylase activ¬ ity, cf. the examples hereinafter. The partial DNA sequences SEQ ID Nos. 3 and 6, which were identified in different clones, are identical except for the sequence SEQ ID No. 6 being longer than the sequence SEQ ID No. 3. Both of the sequences comprises the N-terminal part of the coding sequence of the α-amylase starting at position 7 (GTG) . SEQ ID Nos. 2 and 4 constitute internal parts of the coding sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 1 starting in the same Xbal site (TCTAGA) . SEQ ID No. 2 is read in the upstream direction, whereas SEQ ID No. 4 is read in the downstream direction. The SEQ ID No. 5 is located about 3.3 kb downstream of the 3' end of the coding sequence and is read up¬ stream. The partial DNA sequences (SEQ ID Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) may either separately or in combinations of two or more be used in the isolation of DNA sequences encoding a Pyrococcus α-amylase, cf. the examples herein. Thus, these DNA sequences have been found to constitute important tools in the isolation of the DNA sequence identified in SEQ ID No. 1 and thus in the preparation of recombinant Pyrococcus α-amylase. In the DNA construct of the invention encoding a Pyrococcus α- amylase or a variant thereof, the analogue of the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 1 or of any of the partial DNA sequences shown in SEQ ID Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 may, for instance, be a subsequence of any of these DNA sequences, a genetically en¬ gineered modification of said sequences which may be prepared by well-known procedures, e.g. by site-directed mutagenesis, or a DNA sequence encoding a Pyrococcus α-amylase or a variant thereof isolated from a strain of a Pyrococcus spp. In any event the analogous DNA sequence should hybridize to an oligo¬ nucleotide probe which may be prepared on the basis of the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 1 or of any of the partial DNA sequences SEQ ID Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, e.g. constituting a subsequence or the entire sequence thereof. Alternatively, a suitable oligonucleotide probe may be prepared on the basis of an amino acid sequence encoded by a DNA construct of the inven- tion harbouring one or more of the DNA sequence SEQ ID Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, e.g. on the basis of any part of the amino acid sequences shown in SEQ ID Nos. 8 or 9. On the basis of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9 of a mature α-amylase enzyme, an analysis has been made of the extent to which the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 1 may vary without effecting it's α-amylase encoding capability. As a re¬ sult of this analysis it has been found that the most "differ- ent" DNA sequence having retained the capability of encoding the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9 is one which shows a homology of about 62.6% with the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 1. Accordingly, the analogue of the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 1 is preferably one being at least 62.5% homologous to the said DNA sequence, more preferably at least 70% homologous, such as at least 80% homologous, still more preferably at least 90% homologous with the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 1. In the present context the homology is determined as the degree of identity between the two sequences indicating a derivation of the first sequence from the second. In a particular embodiment, the analogue of the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 1 is a synthetic gene. The hybridization of a DNA sequence with the relevant oligo¬ nucleotide probe(s) may be carried out under any suitable con¬ ditions allowing the DNA sequences to hybridize. For instance, such conditions are hybridization under specified conditions, e.g. involving presoaking in 5xSSC and prehybridizing for lh at ~40°C in a solution of 20% formamide, 5xDenhardt , s solution, 50mM sodium phosphate, pH 6.8, and 50μg of denatured sonicated calf thymus DNA, followed by hybridization in the same solution supplemented with lOOμM ATP for 18h at -40°C, or other methods described by e.g. Sambrook et al., 1989. The immunological cross-reactivity of a variant of a Pyrococcus α-amylase encoded by the DNA construct of the invention may be assayed using an antibody raised against or reactive with at least one epitope of a Pyrococcus α-amylase, which may be of recombinant or native origin, and preferably encoded by a DNA construct of the invention. The antibody, which may either be monoclonal or polyclonal, may be produced by methods known in the art, e.g. as described by Hudson et al., 1989. The immu¬ nological cross-reactivity may be determined using assays known in the art, examples of which are Western Blotting or radial immunodiffusion assay, e.g. as described by Hudson et al., 1989. It has been found that the partial DNA sequences identified in SEQ ID No. 5 and 6 are flanking the α-amylase encoding part of the genomic DNA sequence isolated from the P. furiosus strain DSM 3638 as described in the examples hereinafter, the start codon of the α-amylase encoding DNA constituting part of the partial sequence SEQ ID No. 6. It is contemplated that analog- ous DNA sequences as defined above similarly may be found to flank other Pyrococcus α-amylase encoding sequences or se¬ quences encoding other amylolytic enzymes. Accordingly, in the DNA construct of the invention, the DNA sequence encoding the amylolytic enzyme, and in particular the Pyrococcus α-amylase or a variant thereof, preferably corresponds to a genomic Pyro¬ coccus DNA fragment located between and optionally comprising the partial DNA sequences identified in the appended SEQ ID Nos. 5 and 6 or analogues thereof capable of hybridizing with an oligonucleotide probe prepared on the basis of the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 5 and 6, respectively. Also DNA constructs harbouring a DNA sequence hybridizing with a DNA sequence having any of the properties i)-iii) above are considered to be within the invention. Such DNA constructs may, but need not comprise one or more of the sequences shown in the SEQ ID Nos. 1-6 or analogues thereof. As stated above, the DNA sequences shown in SEQ ID Nos. 1-6 were determined from a genomic clone prepared from a strain of Pyrococcus furiosus , more specifically from the P. furiosus strain DSM 3638 available from the Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH. Due to the high degree of homology normally found within the group of amylolytic enzymes it is contemplated that DNA sequences, which are homologous to the DNA sequences shown in SEQ ID Nos. 1-6 and which encode amylolytic enzymes other than the Pyrococcus α- amylase disclosed herein, may be identified in other organisms, including thermophilic organisms such as archaebacteria and other types of organisms living under extreme conditions. Accordingly, the DNA sequence of a DNA construct of the inven- tion may be derived from an archaebacterium, in particular a thermophilic archaebacterium such as a strain of the genus Pyrococcus , especially from a strain of P. woesei or P. furiosus. Such strains may be isolated by established pro¬ cedures from places expected to harbour archaebacteria, e.g. hot springs or the like, or may be obtained from publicly available culture collections. An example of an analogous DNA sequence is a DNA sequence derivable from the P. woesei strain DSM 3773 available from the Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH. Chromosomal DNA isolated from this strain has been found to hybridize with the 4.5 kb genomic fragment containing the α- amylase gene from P. furiosus (cf. examples 3 and 4) , and thus constitutes an example of a DNA sequence hybridizing with a DNA sequence having the properties i)-iii) above. Furthermore, it is contemplated that analogous DNA sequences of the DNA con¬ struct of the invention are derivable from mutants and deriva¬ tives of the deposited P. furiosus strain DSM 3638 and P. woesei strain DSM 3773 having retained their α-amylase produc- ing capability. In the DNA construct of the invention comprising a DNA sequence encoding an amylolytic enzyme, the homology with the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9, i.e. property c) , is intended to indicate the degree of identity between the polypeptide en¬ coded by the DNA sequence and the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9 indicating a derivation of the first sequence from the second. In particular, a polypeptide is considered to be homologous to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9 if a comparison of the respective amino acid sequences reveals an identity of greater than about 70% such as greater than about 75%, 80%, 85%, 90% or even 95%. Sequence comparisons can be performed via known algorithms, such as the one described by Lipman and Pearson (1985) . A preferred example of a DNA construct of the invention enco- ding an amylolytic enzyme is a DNA construct encoding a Pyro¬ coccus α-amylase or a variant thereof as described above. The DNA sequence of the DNA constructs of the invention may be prepared by well-known methods. Thus, the DNA sequence may, for instance, be isolated by establishing a cDNA or genomic library from an organism expected to harbour the sequence, e.g. a cell as described above, and screening for positive clones by conventional procedures. Examples of such procedures are hybridization to oligonucleotide probes as described above in accordance with standard techniques (cf. Sambrook et al., 1989) , and/or selection for clones expressing amylolytic, such as α-amylase activity, and/or selection for clones producing a protein which is reactive with an antibody raised against an amylolytic enzyme such as a Pyrococcus α-amylase encoded by the DNA construct of the invention. A preferred method of isolating a DNA construct of the inven¬ tion from a cDNA or genomic library is by use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using degenerate oligonucleotide probes prepared on the basis of any of the DNA sequences shown in SEQ ID Nos. 2-6 or of an amino acid sequence encoded by a DNA construct of the invention, e.g. an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID No. 8 or 9 or any of the partial amino acid sequences (a)-(R) disclosed above. For instance, the PCR may be carried out using the techniques described in US Patent No. 4,683,202 or by R.K. Saiki et al. (1988). Alternatively, the DNA sequence of the DNA construct of the invention may be prepared synthetically by established standard methods, e.g. the phosphoamidite method described by Beaucage and Caruthers (1981) , or the method described by Matthes et al. (1984) . According to the phosphoamidite method, oligonucleoti- des are synthesized, e.g. in an automatic DNA synthesizer, puri¬ fied, annealed, ligated and cloned in appropriate vectors. Finally, the DNA construct may be of mixed genomic and synthe- tic, mixed synthetic and cDNA or mixed genomic and cDNA origin prepared by ligating fragments of synthetic, genomic or cDNA origin (as appropriate) , the fragments corresponding to various parts of the entire recombinant DNA molecule, in accordance with standard techniques. As stated above, the DNA constructs of the invention may also comprise a genetically modified DNA sequence. Such sequence may be prepared on the basis of a genomic or cDNA sequence encoding an amylolytic, such as α-amylase activity, suitably modified at a site corresponding to the site(s) of the polypeptide at which it is desired to introduce amino acid substitutions, e.g. by site-directed mutagenesis using synthetic oligonucleotides en¬ coding the desired amino acid sequence for homologous recom¬ bination in accordance with well-known procedures, or by use of random mutagenesis, e.g. through radiation, chemical treatment or PCR using random oligonucleotide primers. Examples of suitable modifications of the DNA sequence are nucleotide substitutions which do not give rise to another amino acid sequence of the polypeptide, but which may corre¬ spond to the codon usage of the host organism into which the recombinant DNA molecule is introduced, or nucleotide substi¬ tutions which do give rise to a different amino acid sequence and therefore, possibly, a different polypeptide structure without, however, impairing the essential properties of the polypeptide related to amylolytic activity and/or immunologi¬ cally cross-reactivity as described above. Other examples of possible modifications are insertion of one or more nucleotides into the sequence, addition of one or more nucleotides at either end of the sequence and deletion of one or more nucleo¬ tides at either end of or within the sequence. The vector carrying a DNA construct of the invention, which is preferably a recombinant expression vector, may be any vector which may conveniently be subjected to recombinant DNA proce¬ dures, and the choice of expression vector will often depend on the host cell into which it is to be introduced. Thus, the vector may be an autonomously replicating vector, i.e. a vector which exists as an extrachromosomal entity, the replication of which is independent of chromosomal replication, e.g. a plasmid or a bacteriophage. Alternatively, the vector may be one which, when introduced into a host cell, is integrated into the host cell genome and replicated together with the chromosome(s) into which it has been integrated. In the DNA construct or the vector, the DNA sequence should be operably connected to a suitable promoter sequence. The pro¬ moter may be any DNA sequence which shows transcriptional ac¬ tivity in the host cell of choice and may be derived from genes encoding proteins either homologous or heterologous to the host cell. Examples of suitable promoters for directing the tran- scription of the DNA construct of the invention are the pro¬ moter of the lac operon of E. coli , the Streptomyces coelicolor agarase gene dagA promoters, the promoters of the Bacillus li- cheniformis α-amylase gene (amyL) , the promoters of the Bacil¬ lus εtearothermophilus maltogenic amylase gene (amyM) , the pro- moters of the Bacillus Amyloliquefaciens α-amylase (amyQ) , etc. The DNA construct and/or expression vector of the invention may also comprise a suitable terminator operably connected to the DNA sequence encoding the amylolytic enzyme such as the Pyrococ- cus α-amylase or variant thereof of the invention. An example of a suitable terminator is that of the Bacillus licheniformis α-amylase gene. The DNA construct and/or vector may further comprise a DNA sequence enabling the vector to replicate in the host cell in question. Examples of such sequences are the origins of repli¬ cation of plasmids pUC19, pACYC177, pUBHO, pE194, pAMBl and pIJ702. The DNA construct and/or vector may also comprise a selectable marker, e.g. a gene the product of which complements a defect in the host cell, such as the as the dal genes from B.suJtilis or B . licheniformis , or one which confers antibiotic resistance such as ampicillin, kanamycin, chloramphenicol or tetracyclin resistance. While intracellular expression may be advantageous in some respects, e.g. when using certain bacteria as host cells, it is generally preferred that the expression is extracellular. In order to obtain extracellular expression, the DNA construct and/or expression vector should normally further comprise a DNA sequence encoding a preregion, i.e. a signal peptide, permit¬ ting secretion of the expressed amylolytic enzyme, such as a Pyrococcus α-amylase or variant thereof, into the culture me¬ dium. The procedures used to construct the DNA construct of the invention comprising ligating a DNA sequence encoding an amy- olytic enzyme, e.g. the Pyrococcus α-amylase or variant there¬ of, the promoter, terminator and other elements, respectively, and to insert them into suitable vectors containing the infor¬ mation necessary for replication, are well known to persons skilled in the art (cf., for instance, Sambrook et al. (1989)). The cell of the invention either comprising a DNA construct or an expression vector of the invention as defined above is advantageously used as a host cell in the recombinant produc¬ tion of a polypeptide of the invention. The cell may be trans- formed with the DNA construct of the invention, conveniently by integrating the DNA construct in the host chromosome, although the DNA construct may also exist as an extrachromosomal entity. However, the integration is generally considered to be an advantage as the DNA sequence is more likely to be stably main- tained in the cell. Integration of the DNA constructs into the host chromosome may be performed according to conventional methods, e.g. by homologous recombination. Alternatively, the cell may be transformed with an expression vector as described below in connection with the different types of host cells. The cell of the invention may be a cell of a higher organism such as a mammal or an insect, but is preferably a microbial cell, e.g. a bacterial or a fungal (including yeast) cell. Examples of suitable bacteria are grampositive bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis , Bacillus lichenifor is, Bacillus lentus , Bacillus brevis , Bacillus stearothermophilus , Bacillus alkalo- philus, Bacillus amyloliquefacienε , Bacillus coagulans , Bacil¬ lus circulanε, Bacillus lautuε, Bacilluε thuringienεiε or Streptomyceε lividanε or Streptomyceε murinus , or gramnegative bacteria such as E. coli . The transformation of the bacteria may for instance be effected by protoplast transformation or by using competent cells in a manner known per se . The yeast organism may favourably be selected from a species of Saccharomyces or Schizosaccharomyces , e.g. Saccharomyceε ce- reviεiae . The filamentous fungus may advantageously belong to a species of Aεpergillus , e.g. Aεpergilluε oryzae or Asper- gilluε niger. Fungal cells may be transformed by a process in¬ volving protoplast formation and transformation of the proto¬ plasts followed by regeneration of the cell wall in a manner known per se. The recombinant Bacilluε cell of the invention, which is different from a cell of Bacilluε licheniformiε , and which harbours a DNA construct comprising a DNA sequence encoding a Pyrococcus α-amylase or a variant thereof, is preferably selected from a strain of Bacillus subtilis , Bacillus lentus , Bacilluε brevis , Bacilluε εtearothermophiluε , Bacillus al- kalophiluε, Bacilluε amyloliquefacienε , Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus circulanε , Bacilluε lautuε or Bacillus thuringienεiε. The DNA construct harboured in the recombinant Bacilluε cell of the invention is preferably a DNA construct as defined above, in which the DNA sequence encoding a Pyrococcuε α-amylase or a variant thereof is derivable from a strain of Pyrococcus woesei or from a strain of Pyrococcuε furioεus , in particular from the Pyrococcuε woeεei strain DSM 3773 or the Pyrococcuε furioεuε strain DSM 3638 or mutants or derivatives of said strains having retained their α-amylase producing capability. In the process of the invention for producing an amylolytic enzyme, such as a Pyrococcuε α-amylase or a variant thereof, a cell of the invention as defined above is cultured in a suit- able culture medium under conditions permitting expression of the amylolytic enzyme, and the resulting enzyme is recovered from the culture. The medium used to cultivate the cells may be any conventional medium suitable for growing the host cell in question. Suitable media are available from commercial suppliers or may be prepared according to published recipes (e.g. in catalogues of the American Type Culture Collection) . The amylolytic enzyme, e.g. the Pyrococcuε α-amylase or variant thereof, may be recovered from the medium by conventional procedures including separating the cells from the medium by centrifugation or filtration, if necessary after disruption of the cells, precipitating the proteinaceous components of the supernatant or filtrate by means of a salt, e.g. ammonium sul¬ phate, followed by purification by a variety of chromatographic procedures, e.g. ion exchange chromatography, affinity chroma- tography, or the like. The Pyrococcuε α-amylase or variant thereof encoded by a DNA construct and/or produced by the process of the invention may be used in any process in which α-amylase activity is required, for instance in starch conversion or liquefaction processes used in the wine or fruit industry, for modifying starch to be used in the pulp and paper industry or for textile desizing using in the preparation of textiles. Also, the polypeptide may be used in baking in order to improve the properties of dough and/or baked products and for detergent purposes, e.g. as a constituent of a detergent additive or a detergent composition. Other uses involves degradation of biological waste, biomass conversion or degradation, or the preparation of energy from biological material. Due to its high thermostability the Pyrococcuε α-amylase or variant thereof of the invention is contemplated to be of particular use for processes in which a high thermostability is advantageous. An example of such a process is a starch lique- faction process, e.g. performed as disclosed in WO 90/11352, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference. More specifically, the starch liquefaction process of the invention may be used for enzymatic conversion of starch into sugars, e.g. for the production of fuel alcohol or High Fructose Syrup (HFS) . Suitable liquefaction conditions are up 120 minutes at 100-140°C, more preferred 1-60 minutes at 100- 120°C, most preferred 1-30 minutes at 105-110°C, optionally followed by reduction of the temperature to be held in the range of 90-100°C for about 30-120 minutes. It is preferred not to add calcium salts to the aqueous starch slurry. The pH should be held within 3.5-6.0, more preferred 4.0-5.5, most preferred 4.2-4.8. A continuous process is preferred, and the heating is most preferably by jet-cooking. The dosage level of the α-amylase of the invention or a variant thereof is typical¬ ly in the range of 5-500 NU, preferably 10-50 NU, per gram starch DS (dry substance) . The starch concentration will usually be in the range 15-45% DS (w/w% dry substance) , most often 25-35% DS. The activity standard NU (which is an abbreviation of NOVO α- amylase unit) is the amount of enzyme which hydrolyses 5.26 mg of dissolved starch per hour at 37°C, pH 5.6 and 0.0043 M of Ca ++ over a 7-20 minute reaction time. A folder AF9/6 describing the analytical method is available on request to NOVO NORDISK A/S, DENMARK. The activity of the Pyrococcus α-amylase is determined at 60°C and related to a Terma yl standard, assayed under the same conditions. The liquefied starch may hereafter be subjected to enzymatic saccharification in the presence of a glucoamylase, substan¬ tially without an intermediate pH adjustment. In this case the starch is liquefied with an α-amylase or variant of the inven- tion at pH 3.5-6.0, more preferred at pH 4.0-4.5, most pre¬ ferred pH 4.2-4.8. The liquefied starch may also be subjected to subsequent enzymatic saccharification in the presence of a glucoamylase in combination with a debranching enzyme such as pullulanase (see EP 63 909 for details) and/or an acid stable α-amylase from for example A. niαer (see EP 140 410 for de¬ tails) . The liquefaction process of the invention may also be used for producing ethanol. In this case the starch is liquefied with α- amylase at a pH of 3.5-6.0, more preferred 4.0-5.5, followed by saccharification with glucoamylase and simultaneous or subse¬ quent fermentation with yeast. Thereafter the alcohol may be recovered by methods known in the art. Preferably the whole process is carried out at pH of about 4.5 without any interme- diate pH adjustment, and simultaneous saccharification and fer¬ mentation is performed at 30-35-C for up to 96 hours. The liq¬ uefaction can be conducted either at low DS levels (15-20%) or high DS levels (20-40%) . In the high DS processes, the DS level must be reduced to about 20% prior to fermentation to obtain about 10% alcohol by volume, which is about maximum that most yeast can tolerate. The raw material for alcohol production may include refined starch such as wet milled corn starch; raw, unprocessed mate- rials such as corn, wheat, rice, sorghum, cassawa and potato (whose starch content range from 15 to 80%) ; and other starch containing materials such as waste and by-products from indu¬ stry. Furthermore, the starch liquefaction may be performed by a process comprising a) inserting a DNA construct of the invention encoding the Pyrococcuε α-amylase or a variant thereof, optionally present in a suitable expression vector, into a suitable host organism, b) culturing the host organism in a suitable culture medium under conditions permitting expression of the Pyrococcuε α- amylase or variant thereof, and recovering the resulting Pyrococcuε α-amylase or variant thereof from the culture, and c) subjecting an aqueous starch slurry to enzymatic liquefac¬ tion in the presence of the Pyrococcuε α-amylase or variant thereof recovered in step b) , each of the steps being performed as described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention is described in the following with refe¬ rence to the appended drawings, in which Fig. 1 illustrates the plasmid pSJ 1678, the nucleotide sequence of which is shown in SEQ ID No. 7, Fig. 2 illustrates the plasmid pSJ 2467, Fig. 3 illustrates the plasmid pSJ 2481, Fig. 4 illustrates the plasmid pSJ 2482, Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the result of the southern analysis described in Example 5, Fig. 7 illustrates the plasmids pSJ 2487 and pSJ 2488, Fig. 8 illustrates the plasmids pSJ 2489 and pSJ 2490, Fig. 9 illustrates the α-amylase activity of a DNA construct of the invention as further described in Example 6, and Figs. 10 and 11 are chromatograms illustrating the distribution of oligosaccharides obtained from starch having been exposed to an α-amylase encoded by a DNA construct of the invention for 24 and 48 hours, respectively. The following abbreviations are used on the plasmid drawings: rep the gene for the pUBHO Rep protein (Gryczyn et al., 1978) cat the gene for chloramphenicol acetyl transferase from pC194 (Horinouchi and Weisblum, 1982) . pl5A Ori the replication functions from the E. coli cryptic plasmid pl5A (Chang and Cohen, 1978) PamyM the promoter region from the maltogenic amylase gene of Bacilluε stearothermophilus (Diderichsen and Christiansen, 1988) kanD the kanamycin resistance gene from pUBllO, deleted for its own promoter pUBllO Ori the double-stranded origin of replication for pUBllO amyA.pfu the alpha-amylase gene from Pyrococcus furiosus bla the beta-lactamase gene from the pUC plasmids (Yanish-Perron et al., 1985) Plac the beta-galactosidase promoter from the pUC plasmids 'amyA.pfu the amyA.pfu gene truncated in the 5' end amyA.pfu' the amyA.pfu gene truncated in the 3' end The present invention is further illustrated by the following examples which are not in any way intended to limit the scope of the invention as defined herein. MATERIALS AND METHODS Bacteria Pyrococcus furiosus DSM 3638 and Pyrococcus woesei DSM 3773 available from the Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH, Brauschweig, Germany. The strains were grown in medium according to the description as supplied from the DSM along with the strains. E. coli SJ2 has been described by Diderichsen et al., 1990, and cells were prepared for and transformed by electroporation using a Gene Pulser™ electroporator from BIO-RAD as described by the supplier. B . subtiliε DN1885 has been described by Diderichsen et al., 1990, and competent cells were prepared and transformed as described by Yasbin et al., 1975. Plasmids pSJ1678 (Fig. 1) was used as cloning vector in the construction of the gene library. The entire sequence of pSJ1678 is given in the appended sequence ID No. 7. pUC19 (Yanish-Perron et al., 1985) was used for subclonings. General methods The experimental techniques used to construct the plasmids were standard techniques within the field of recombinant DNA technology, cf. Sambrook et al., 1989. Restriction endonucleases were purchased from New England Biolabs and Boehringer Mannheim and used as recommended by the manufacturers. T4 DNA ligase was purchased from New England Biolabs and used as recommended by the manufacturer. Preparation of plasmid DNA from all strains was conducted by the method described by Kieser, 1984. Amylase activity may be measured as absorption/ml at 620 nm using Phadebas tablets (Phadebas® Amylase Test; Pharmacia Diagnostics, SW) . The assay is carried out for 15 min at 60°C, pH 7.3 in the presence of 0.15 nM calcium following the procedure described in the Novo Nordisk AF publication AF-207/- GB, available upon request. The enzyme activity is compared to that of an enzyme standard and the result is expressed in the same unit as that of the enzyme standard (e.g. NU as defined herein) . Media Liquid cultures for plasmid preparation were grown in TY media supplemented with appropriate antibiotics Liquid cultures for enzyme production and characterization were grown in Terrific Broth supplemented with relevant antibiotics Bacto-tryptone 12 g Bacto Yeast-extract 24 g Glycerol 4 ml Water to 900 ml Following autoclaving, 100 ml of the following, separ¬ ately autoclaved solution is added KH 2 P0 4 0.17 M K 2 HP0 4 0.72 M Solid medium was LB agar Bacto-tryptone 10 g/1 Bacto Yeast-extract 5 g/1 NaCl 10 g/1 Bacto agar 15 g/1 Adjusted to pH 7.5 with NaOH Media for visualization of amylase activity was LB agar containing, pr. 500 ml agar, 10 ml of a dyed amylopectin solution prepared as follows 12.5 g amylopectin (Serva 2000-4000 kD) is dissolved by boiling in 250 ml water, cooled to room temperature, 30 ml 4 M NaOH and 2.5 g Cibacron Rot B are added, and the solution incubated overnight. pH is adjusted to 7 with 4 M HCL. 500 ml 96 % ethanol is added with stirring to precipitate the amylopectin as a red, viscous precipitate. The supernatant is discarded, the amylopectin dissolved in 200 ml water by slight heating, and the precipitation with ethanol repeated. The amylopectin is again dissolved in 200 ml water, autoclaved, and ready for use. EXAMPLES EXAMPLE 1 Cloning of the Pyrococcus furiosus α-amylase σene Genomic DNA from Pyrococcuε furioεuε DSM3638 was isolated by the method of Pitcher et al., 1989. Approximately 100 μg DNA was partially digested with Sau3A, size fractionated on a sucrose gradient, and fragments between 3 and 7 kb were pooled. The cloning vector pSJ1678 was digested with BamHI, and a 3.8 kb fragment was purified from an agarose gel. Approximately 0.75 μg vector fragment was ligated to appr. 4 μg size- fractionated P. furiosus chromosomal DNA, and used to transform E. coli SJ2 by electroporation. The gene bank was plated on LB plates containing dyed amylopec¬ tin and supplemented with 10 μg/ml chloramphenicol. Following overnight incubation at 37°C, each plate was replica plated onto two new plates which were then incubated overnight at 37°C. One of these was subsequently incubated at 60°C over¬ night. Clear halos indicating degradation of the amylopectin was observed around 5 colonies (among a total of 10000) on the 60°C plates, whereas no halos were observed around the colonies on the plates that were kept at 37°C. These 5 strains taken from the 37°C plates were kept as SJ2463-SJ2467. Restriction digests revealed that the P. furiosuε DNA insert on the four clones SJ2463, SJ2464, SJ2465 and SJ2467 shared a common DNA region without the inserts being totally identical, whereas the DNA contained on pSJ2466 appeared unrelated to these four clones. pSJ2467 (Fig. 2) contained an insert of approximately 4.5 kb and was used for further analysis. EXAMPLE 2 Starch degradation using amylase produced from SJ2467 E. coli SJ 2467 (the above described E. coli SJ 2 harbouring pSJ2467) was grown in Terrific broth medium supplemented with 6 μg/ml chloramphenicol for 3 days at 37°C. The E. coli cells in the culture broth were lysed by sonication. One sample was directly sterile filtered, another sample sterile filtered after a brief heat-treatment. 2 g waxy corn starch were slurried with 10 ml 0.1 M acetate buffer, with pH values of 4.3, 5.0 and 5.5, containing 40 ppm Ca ++ , in 180 x 18 mm glass culture tubes. 2 ml heat-treated (105°C, 5 min.) E. coli sonicated extract, containing appro¬ ximately 2 NU/ml Pyrococcuε furiosus amylase were added and the pH controlled at ambient temperature. The tightly sealed glass tubes were transferred to a thermo- stated oil-bath at 105°C and vigorously agitated. Within minutes of gelatinization, the starch was liquified. Samples were taken periodically and tested with iodine (1 drop 0.1 M iodine in 5 ml deionized water) . The following results were obtained. This test demonstrates that P. furiosuε amylase, expressed in E. coli , is active and stable at high temperature and low pH, in the presence of starch. Furthermore, the test demonstrates that it is possible to obtain expression of the extremely thermophilic P. furioεuε amylase in active form in E. coli . It may be considered surprising that the Pyrococcuε α-amylase, which in it's native environment is synthesized, secreted and folded into an active three-dimensional structure at 100°C, also may be produced in active form at 37°C. In a further experiment 2 g waxy corn starch were slurried with 2 ml 1 M acetate buffer, pH 5.5, in a 180 x 18 mm glass culture tube. 10 ml E. coli sonicated extract, containing approximately 1 NU/ml P. furiosus amylase were added and the pH adjusted to 5.5 at ambient temperature. The tightly sealed glass tube was transferred to a thermostated oil-bath at 105°C and vigorously agitated. Within seconds of gelatinization, the starch was liquefied. Samples were taken periodically and tested with iodine (1 drop 0.1 M iodine in 5 ml deionised water) . Samples were also taken for HPLC analysis. The following results were obtained. REPLACE ENTSHEET The distribution of oligosaccharides seen in the chromatograms shown in Figs. 10 and 11 is typical of endo-amylase attack. The major oligosaccharides formed on prolonged hydrolysis are DP5, DP6 and DP7 (where DP=degree of polymerization) . EXAMPLE 3 Subcloning of P. furioεuε α-amγlase gene pS2467 was digested with Clal, and the 4.5 kb fragment contain¬ ing the α-amylase gene was ligated to AccI digested pUC19 DNA and the ligation mixture transformed into E. coli SJ2. Trans¬ formants were obtained containing the insert in each of the two possible orientations with respect to the cloning vectors. These were SJ2481 containing pSJ2481 (Fig. 3) , and SJ2482 containing pSJ2482 (Fig. 4) . Both clones produce α-amylase as visualized by the appearance of clear halos on dyed amylopectin plates after incubation at 60°C. The amylase-producing transformants appear somewhat sick as compared to transformants containing the pUC19 vector plasmid only. They form smaller, more translucent colonies. Further subclonings were performed from pSJ2481. pSJ2487 (Fig. 7) was constructed by deletion of the 1 kb Xbal fragment from pSJ2481 and transformation of the religated plasmid into E. coli SJ2. The resulting transformants were not able to produce halos on LB plates containing dyed amylopectin, indicating that this deletion had removed a DNA region of importance for expression of an active amylase protein. The 1 kb Xbal fragment from pSJ2481 was inserted into Xbal digested pUC19, to give pSJ2489 and pSJ2490 (identical. Fig. 8). EXAMPLE 4 DNA sequences The ends of the insert on several subclones in pUC19 were sequenced directly on the double-stranded plasmids using Sequenase™ and oligonucleotide primers hybridizing just outside the pUC19 multilinker region. The resulting sequences are given in SEQ ID Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. The SEQ ID No. ID 2 is derived from pSJ2490, and read from the end of the insert next to the EcoRI site in the pUC polylinker. The SEQ ID No. 3 is derived from pSJ2489, and read from the end of the insert next to the Hindlll site in the pUC polylinker. The SEQ ID No. 4 is derived from pSJ2487, and read from the end of the insert next to the EcoRI site in the pUC polylinker. The SEQ ID No. 5 is derived from pSJ2482, and read from the end of the insert next to the EcoRI site in the polylinker. The SEQ ID No. 6 is derived from pSJ2482, and read from the end of the insert next to the Hindlll site in the pUC polylinker. Based on the DNA sequences given herein, it will be possible to synthesize oligonucleotide primers that can be used to amplify from chromosomal DNA of Pyrococcus furiosus in a PCR reaction a DNA fragment identical to the entire Pyrococcus furiosus DNA insert contained on pSJ2467 and pSJ2481/2482, thereby recon¬ structing these plasmids from available material. EXAMPLE 5 Southern analysis pSJ2481 was 32 P-labelled by nick-translation using a commercial kit obtained from Amersham, and used as probe in a southern analysis. Hybridization was overnight at 60°C in lOx Denhardts solution, 1%SDS, 10 mM EDTA and 5x SSC, followed by two 15 min. washes in 2x SSC, 0.1% SDS at room temperature and one 15 min. wash at 60°C. The resulting exposures are shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. Fig. 5 reveals 1) that pSJ2463, pSJ2464, pSJ2465 and pSJ2467 contains a common DNA region as previously stated (a Hindlll fragment of approx. 0.5 kb is common to pSJ2463 (lane 1), pSJ2464 (lane 2), pSJ2465 (lane 3) , pSJ2467 (laneδ) and to chromosomal P. furiosus DNA (lane 7)) . 2) that the insert on pSJ2481 is derived from the chromosome of P. furioεuε . (lane 7). Fig. 6 reveals 3) that a homologous DNA region exist in the chromosome of P. woeεei (the chromosomal P. woeεei DNA being isolated by the method according to Pitcher et al. 1989) . Thus pSJ2481 hybrid¬ izes to exactly the same fragments in Hindlll digested P. woeεei DNA (lane 2) as in Hindlll digested P. furiosus DNA (Fig. 5, lane 7). For clarity, a longer exposure of lane 2 is added as lane 0 of figure 6 to reveal the 0.5 kb Hindlll fragment. pSJ2481, or the sequence information given herein obtained from pSJ2481, can therefore be used as a tool to identify and thereby assist cloning of the α-amylase gene from the chromo- some of either P. furioεuε or P. woesei . EXAMPLE 6 Expression of the α-amylase gene in Bacilluε subtilis The plasmid pSJ1678 used for construction of the gene library is a shuttle vector able to replicate in both E . coli and B. sujbtilis. To test for expression of the amylase activity in B. subtiliε , pSJ2467 was therefore transformed into competent cells of DN1885 selecting for resistance to chloramphenicol (6 μg/ml) on LB plates containing dyed amylopectin. 10 transformants were picked onto two new plates with dyed amylopectin, along with SJ1678 which is DN1885/pSJ1678 as a control. After incubation overnight at 37°C one plate was transferred to 65°C, whereas the other was kept at 37°C. 7 hours later was degradation of the amylopectin around the 10 transformants with pSJ2467 apparent on the plate incubated at 65°C as formation of a clear halo. No halo was formed around the control strain (Fig. 9) . The fact that expression of amylase activity from a Pyrococcuε α-amylase gene can be obtained in Bacilluε subtilis without any modification of the gene, e.g. in form of modification or replacement of the ribosome binding site to allow more effi¬ cient initiation of translation, is surprising indeed. Gen- erally, the majority of cloned genes from non-gram positive organisms fail to express from their own expression signals in B. suJtilis (Mountain, A., 1989), and their has to our knowl¬ edge been no prior reports of direct expression of a gene from Pyrococcus in B. subtiliε. EXAMPLE 7 4.5 kb of the P. furioεuε DNA insert cloned on pSJ2467 (Example 1) was sequenced on both strands, using Sequenase™ and a combination of subclones and oligonucleotide primers based on previously determined sequences. The open reading frame corresponding to the α-amylase gene was localized by subcloning (the ability of individual subclones to produce α-amylase was assayed on plates containing dyed amylopectin) . The α-amylase encoded by this open reading frame revealed homology to α-amylases and other starch-degrading enzymes from a variety of organisms including bacteria, insects and plants. When aligned with a B. licheniformiε α-amylase a degree of identity of about 36% could be observed when 18 gaps were introduced at various sites in the sequence. The DNA sequence of the α-amylase coding region, including the signal peptide coding region, is shown in Seq. ID No. 1. On the basis of the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 1 the amino acid sequence of the signal peptide (Seq. ID 8) and of the mature α-amylase (Seq. ID 9) have been deduced. On the map of pSJ2467 (fig. 2) , the α-amylase gene is located between position 4.5 and 3.0, reading counterclockwise. REFERENCES CITED IN THE SPECIFICATION S.L. Beaucage and M.H. Caruthers, Tetrahedron Letters 22. 1981, pp. 1859-1869, or the method described by Matthes et al., The EMBO J. 2, 1984, pp. 801-805. Brown et al., Applied and Environmental Microbiology, July 1990, pp. 1985-1991 Chang, A. C. Y., Cohen, S. N. (1978). Construction and Amplifi¬ cation of Amplifiable Multicopy DNA Cloning Vehicles Derived from the pl5A Cryptic Miniplasmid. J. Bacteriol., 134, 1141- 1156. Diderichsen, B., Wedsted, U. , Hedegaard, L. , Jensen, B. R. , Sjøholm, C. (1990) . Cloning of aldB, which encodes α-acetolac- tate decarboxylase, an exoenzyme from Bacilluε brevis . J. Bacteriol., 172, 4315-4321. Diderichsen, B. and Christiansen, L. Cloning of a maltogenic α- amylase from Bacillus stearothermophilus, FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 5653-60, 1988. Gryczan, T. et al. (1978) . Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus plasmids introduced by transformation into Bacillus subtilis. J. Bacteriol., 134, 318-329. Horinouchi et al. (1982b) "Nucleotide sequence and functional map of pE194, a plasmid that specifies inducible resistance to macrolide, lincosamide, and streptogramin type B antibiotics" J. Bacteriol., 150, 804-814. Hudson et al., 1989, Practical Immunology, Third edition (1989) , Blackwell Scientific Publications, Kieser. T. (1984) . Factors affecting the isolation of CCC DNA from Streptomyceε lividanε and Eεcherichia coli . Plasmid 12, 19-36. Koch et al., FEMS Microbiology Letters 71 (1990) 21-26 Lipman and Pearson (1985), Science 227, 1435 (1985) Matthes et al., EMBO J. 3, 1984, pp. 801-805 Mountain, A. (1989). In "Biotechnology Handbooks Vol. 2. Bacillus" Ed. Harwood, C. R. Plenum Press, New York, 1989, pp 73-114. Pitcher, D. G. , Saunders, N. A., Owen, R. J. (1989). Rapid extraction of bacterial genomic DNA with guanidium thiocyanate. Lett. Appl. Microbiol., 8, 151-156. Podkovyrov, Journ. of Bacteriol., 1992, Vol. 174, pp. 5400- 5405. R.K. Saiki et al., Science 239. 1988, pp. 487-491. Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning A laboratory manual, 2nd Ed., Cold Spring Harbor, 1989. Svensson, B., FEBS Letters, 1988, Vol. 230, pp. 72-76. Yanish-Perron, c, Vieira, J. , Messing, J. (1985). Improved Ml3 phage cloning vectors and host strains Nucleotide sequences of the M13 mpl8 and pUC19 vectors. Gene 33, 103-119. Yasbin, R. E. , Wilson, G. A., Young, F. E. (1975). Transfor- mation and transfection in lysogenic strains of Bacilluε subtilis Evidence for selective induction of prophage in competent cells. J. Bacteriol., 121, 296-304. Zhou, FEBS Letters, 1989, Vol. 255, pp. 37-41. SEQUENCE LISTING (1) GENERAL DMXM TION (i) APPLICANΓ (A) NAME NOVO NGRDISK A/S (B) STREET Nσvo Alle (C) CTTY Bagsvaerd (E) COUNTRY DENMARK (F) POSTAL CODE (ZIP) DK-2880 (G) TELEPHONE 44544448888 (H) TELEFAX 44544493256 (I) TELEX 37304 (ii) TITLE OF INVENITCN An amylolytic enzyme (ϋi) NUMBER OF SEQUENCES 52 (iv) αOMEUTER READABLE FORM (A) MEDIUM TYPE Floppy disk (B) OCMFUTER TBM PC σcπpatible (C) OPERATING SYSTEM PC-DOS/MS-DOS (D) SOFTWARE Patentln R≥lease #1.0, Version #1.25 (EPO) Nσvo Nαrdisk A/S (2) INFORMATICN FOR SEQ ID NO 1 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 1380 base pairs (B) TYPE nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS single (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE DNA (genαtiic) (Vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE (A) OEGANIEM Pyroccccus furiosus (B) STRAIN DSM 3638 (xi) SEQUENCE DESGRTPTTCN SEQ ID NO 1 GTGAACATAA AGAAATTAAC ACOOCTCCΓA ACTCTATTAC TGTTTTTTAT AGEACTAGCA 60 AGTCCAGTAA GTGCAGCAAA ATACTTGGAG CTTGAAGAGG GAGGAGTTAT AATGCAAGCA 120 TTCTATTGGG ATGTTCCAGG GGGAGGAATT TGGTGGGATC ATATAAGATC GAAGATTCCT 180 GAATGGTATG AAGCTGGAAT CTOECAATA. TGGCTAOCTC (ΛCCAAGCAA GGQGATGAGT 240 GGAGGATATT CAATGOGCTA CXΞaTCCCTAT GATIΑCTTTG ATCTCGGOGA CTACTAOCAG 300 AAGGGAACTG TAGAGACGOG TTTTGGATCA AAAGAAGAAC TAGTGAGATT GATACAAACT 360 GCCCATGCCT ATGGAATAAA GGTAATCGCC GATGTAGTTA TAAAOCACAG GGCTGGΓGGT 420 GAOCTAGAAT GGAACCCCTT OSTTGGAGAT TACACATGGA α^GACTTTTC TAAAGΓΓGCC 480 TCAGGGAAAT ATACAGCTAA CTATCTGGAC TTCCATCCAA AOSAGCITCA TTGΓTGIGAC 540 GAAGGAACCT TTGGAGGATT TCO TATA TGTCATCACA AAGAGTGQGA TCAGTACTGG 600 CTATGGAAGA GCAATGAGAG TTATGCTGCT TATTTAAGAA GCATAGGATT TGATGGTTGG 660 AGATTTGACT ATGTTAAGGG CTATGGAGCT TGGGITGTCA GAGACTGGCT TAATTGGTGG 720 GGAGGTTGGG <_»GITGGAGA GTACTGQGAC ACAAATGTAG ATαZACTACT AAGCTGGGCA 780 TATGAGAGTG GΓGCAAAGGT CTTTGACTTC OOGCTCTACT ATAAAATGGA TGAAGCATTT 840 GACAATAACA ACATTCCAGC ATTAGTCTAT GCCCIACAAA AOQGACAAAC TGTAGTITCG 900 AGAGATCCAT TTAAGGCAGT AACTTTCGTT GO.AATCATG ACACAGATAT AATATGGAAC 960 AAGTATOCAG CATATGOGTT CATATTGACA TATGAGGGAC AGCCAGTAAT ATTCTACAGG 1020 GACTTTGAGG AATGGCTGAA CAAGGATAAG CTAAT AACC TCATTTGGAT CCATGATCAT 1080 TTGGCAGGAG GAAGCACAAC AATTGTCTAC TACGACAACG ATGAGCTCAT ATTIGTGAGA 1140 AATGGAGATT CTAGAAGGCC TGGGCTTATA ACITACATTA ACTTGAGCCC TAACTGGGTT 1200 GGTAGGTGGG TATACGTTCC AAAGTTTGCA GGQGdTGTA TTCATGAATA CACTGGAAAC 1260 CTAGGAGGAT GGGTAGATAA AAGAGTAGAT AGTAGOGGAT GGGTATACCT AGAGGCACCA 1320 CαX-AOGATC CAGCTAAOSG CΓACTATGGG TACTCCGTAT GGAGTTATΓG TGGTGTΓGQG 1380 (2) INFOEMATICN FOR SEQ ID NO 2 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 303 base pairs (B) TYPE nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS single (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE ENA (gerxxnic) (vi) ■ORIGINAL SOURCE (A) CRGANISM Pyrococcus furiosus (B) STRAIN DSM 3638 (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ ID NO 2 TCTAGAATCT CX.ATTTCTCA C.AAATATGAG CTCATCGTTG TCGTAGTAGA <_AATTGTTGT 60 GCΓΓCCΓOCΓ GCXBAATGAC TATGGATOCA AATGAGGΓΓA ATTAGCTTAT <O ΓTGTTCAG 120 (XATTCCTCA AAGTCCCTGT AGAATATΓAC TX-GCTGTCCC TCATATGΓCA ATATGAACGC 180 ATATGCΓGGA TACTIGTTCC ATATIATATC TCTGΓCATGA T GGCAACGA AAGΓACΓGCC 240 TΓAAATGGAT CTCICGAAAC TACAGΓTTGΓ AA∞ΓΓΓCΓA GGGCA AGAC TAAT AGCTG 300 GAA 303 (2) DEFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO 3 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 117 base pairs (B) TYPE nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS single (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE ENA (gencmic) (vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE (A) CRGANISM Pyrococcus furiosus (B) STRAIN DEM 3638 (Xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ ID NO 3 GATCA03TGA ACATAAAGAA ATTAAGACCC CTCCTAACTC TATTACTGTT TITTATAGTA 60 CEAGCAAGTC CAGTAGTGCA GCAAAATACT TGGAGCTTGA AGAGGGANGA GTTATAA 117 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO 4 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 207 base pairs (B) TΪPE nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS single (D) TOFOIOGΪ linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE ENA (gencmic) (vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE (A) ORGANISM Pyrococcus furiosus (B) STRAIN DSM 3638 (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ ID NO 4 TCTAGAAGGC CTGGGCTTAT AACTTACATT AACTTGAGCC CΓAACTGGGT TGGTAGGTGG 60 GTATACTTCC AAAGTTTGCA GGGGCTTGTA TCATGAATAC AOGGAAAOCT AGGAGGATGG 120 GAGATAAAAG AGTAGATAGT AGOQGATGGG TATACCTAGA GGCACCACCT CACGATCCAG 180 CTAACGGCTA CTATGGGTAC TCOGTAT 207 (2) 3ΗFCSMATI0N FOR SEQ ID NO 5 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 237 base pairs (B) TYPE nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS single (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE DNA (gencmic) (vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE (A) ORGANISM Pyroooocus furiosus (B) STRAIN DSM 3638 (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION SEQ 3D NO 5 GATOCAAAGΓ GΣTATCICGA AATGGGTAGA ACΆAΓACGΓC TGAAGAAATT GGGACATCΓΓ 6O TTGTTATATC AGTATGGGTA CITGftTTACG AAAATAAAAA GCTCTACAGA GGAITCACrA 120 TAGIGAATTA TGAAATCAAG GACATGAGAA AGGGGTTCAA AAAAATAGTT AAGGTAAATA 180 TTCACAAACT AOCCTCCAGC GAACTTGGAT CTAATAGAAC AGCATCCATT TCAAGGG 237 (2) INFOPMATICN FOR SEQ ID NO 6 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 192 base pairs (B) TYPE nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS single (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE ENA (genomic) (vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE (A) CKGANIEM Pyroσoσcus furiosus (B) STRAIN DSM 3638 (Xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION SEQ ID NO 6 GATCACGTGA ACATAAAGAA ATTAACNCCC CπXTAACTC TATTACTGTT TTTTATAGTA 60 CTAGCAAGΓC CWSIAAGΓGC AGCAAAATAC TTGGAGCΓΓG AAGAGGGAGG AGTTATAATG 120 C_AAGC»ΪTCT ATTGGGATGT TCCftGGNGGA C^GATTTGGTG GGATCATATA AGAΓCGAAGA 180 TTCCTGAATG GG 192 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO 7 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 4679 base pairs (B) TYPE nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS single (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE DNA (gencmic) (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPπCN SEQ ID NO 7 GAATTCCGGC CX.AACGATGG CTGATTTCCG GGTTGACGGC α3GOGGAACC AAGGGGTGAT 60 CGGTCGGCGG AAATGAAGGC CTGOGGCGAG TGCGGGCCTT CIUIT I AG GATTATAATC 120 AGAGIATATT GAAAGTTTCG CGATC TTTC GTATAATTGT TTTAGGCATA GTGCAATCGA 180 TAAGCTTGGC TGCAGGTOGA 03GATCCCCG GGTAOOCATT CTTATTTAGA AAAGCAAATC 240 TAAAATTATC TGAAAAGGGA ATGAGAATAG TGAATGGACC AATAATAATG ACTAGAGAAG 300 AAAGAATGAA GATTGTTCAT GAAATTAAGG AADGAATATT GGATAAATAT GGGGATGATG 360 TTAAGGCTAT TGGTGTTTAT GGC3CTCTTG GTCGTCAGAC TGATGGGCCC TATTCGGATA 420 TTGAGATGAT GIUIGTCATG TCAACAGAGG AAGCAGAGTT (ΩGOCATGAA TGGACAAOOG 480 GTC&3TGGAA GGTGGAAGTG AATTTTGATA GOGAAGAGAT TCTACTAGAT TATGCATCTC 540 AGGTGGAATC AGATTGGCCG CTTACACATG GK3VATTTTT CTCTATΓTTG OOSOTTATG 600 ATTCAGGTGG ATACTTAGAG AAAGTGTATC AAACTGCTAA ATCGGTAGAA GOCCAAAOGT 660 TCCACGATGC GATTTGTGCC CTTATCGTAG AAGAGCTGTT TGAATATGCA GGCAAATGGC 720 GTAATATTCG TGTGCAAGGA OOΞACAACAT TTCTACCATC CTTGACTGTA CΩGGTAGCΑA 780 TGGCAGGΓGC CAIGΓIGATΓ GGTCΓGCATC ATOXAΪCTG T ATAOGAOS AGCGCΓTCGG 840 TCTTAACΓGA AGCBGΓΓAAG C-AATCAGATC TTCCTTCΆGG TTATGAOCAT CTGTGOCAGT 900 TCGΓAATG C TGGTCAACTT TOXACICΓG AGAAACΓΓCT GGAATOΞCΓA GAGAATΓΓCT 960 GGAATGGGAT TCAGGAGTGG ACBGAAOSAC AOΞGATATAT AGTGGATGTG TCAAAACGCA 1020 TACCAl'iTiG AAOGATGACC TCTAATAATT GITAATCATG TTGGTTACGG GGATCCGTCG 1080 ACCTGCAGCC AAGCTTATCG ATTGCACTAT GOCTAAAACA ATTATAOGAA AAGATCGOΞA 1140 AACTTTCAAT ATACTCTGAT TATAATCCTC AAAACAGAAG GCCOSCACTC GCCGCAGGOC 1200 TTCATTTOOG OCGAOOGATC AOC3CCTTGGT TCCGCOGGOC GTCAACCCGG AAATCAGCCA 1260 TCGTTGGGCC GGAATTAGAT CTAGCATGCC TTTTAGTCCA GAOCAAAATC CXJTTAAaSTG 1320 AGTTTTOGTT OACTGAGOG TCAGACCCCT TAATAAGATG ATCTTCTTGA GATCGΓTTTG - 1380 GTCTGOGOGT AATCTCTTGC TCTGAAAACG AAAAAACCGC CTTGCAGGGC GGTTTTTCGA 1440 AGGTTCTCTG AGCTACCAAC TCTTTGAACC GAGGTAACTG GCTTGGAGGA GCGCAGTCAC 1500 CAAAACΓΓGT <XTTTCΆGTT TAGOCTΓAAC CQGOGCATGA CT CAAGACΓ AACTCCTC A lsβo AATCAATTAC CAGTGGCTGC TGOCAGTGGT GCTTTTGCAT GT TT10X3G GITGGACrCA 1620 AGAOSATAGT TAOOGGATAA GGOGCAGOGG T03GACTGAA OGGGGGGITC GTGCATACAG 1680 TOCAGCrTGG AGGGAACTGC CTAOOOQGAA CTGAGTGTCA GGCGTGGAAT GAGACAAACG 1740 OGGCCATAAC AGGGGAATGA CACOGGTAAA (XEAAAGGCA. GGAACAGGAG AGCGCAOGAG 1800 GGAGCOGCCA GGGGGAAAOG CX3GGTATCT TTATAGTOCT ■ GTCGGGI TC GCX-ACCACTG 1860 ATTTGAGOGT CaGATTTOGT GATGC3TGTC AGGGGGGGGG AGGCTATGGA AAAA03GCTT 1920 TGCCGCGGCC CTCTCACTTC aSGTTAAGT ATCTTCCTGG CATCTTCCAG GAAATCTOCG 1980 CCCOGTΓCGΓ AAGoaτττc (OGCΓCGCCGC AGΓOSAAOSA CO3AGCGTAG CGAGTCΆGTG 2040 AGCGAGGAAG GGGAATATAT (XTGTATCAC ATATTCTGCT GAOΞCACCGG TGCAGCCTTT 2100 TITCTCCTGC C-ACATGAAGC ACTTCACTGA <_»CCCΓCATC AGΓGCCAACA TAGΓAAGCCΆ 2160 GIATACACTC 03-3X3ATTTC ACTTTTTGCA TTCTACGGAC TGCATAACTC ATATGTAAAT 2220 CGCTC ITIT TAGGTGGCAC AAATGTGAGG CATTTTCGCT CTTTCCGGCG AGGCTAGTΓA 2280 (OOCTTAAGIT ATTCGEATGA CTGGTTTTAA GGGCAAAAAA AGTTGCTTTT TCGTACCTAT 2340 TAATCTATCG TTAGAAAACC GACTGTAAAA AGIACAGTCG GCATTATCTC ATATTATAAA 2400 AGCXaGTCAT TAGGOCΓATC TGACAATTCC TGAATAGAGT TCΆTAAACAA TOC GCAΓGA 2460 TAACXATCAC AAACAGAATG ATGTAOCTGT AAAGATAGOG GTAAATATAT TGAATTAOCT 2520 TTATTAATGA ATTTTCCTGC TGTAATAATG GGTAGAAGGT AATTACTATT ATTATTGATA 2580 TTTAAGTTAA ACCCAGTAAA TGAAGTCCAT GGAATAATAG AAAGAGAAAA AGCAΪTTTCA 2640 GGTATAGGTG TTTTGGGAAA OtøiπCCCC GAADCATTAT ATITCrcrAC ATCAGAAAGG 2700 TATAAATCAT AAAACTCITT GAAGTCATTC TTTACAGGAG TCX.AAATACC AGAGAATGTT 2760 TTAGATACAC CATCAAAAAT TGTATAAAGT GGCTCTAACT TATCCCAATA AOCTAACTCT 2820 CCX3K3GCΓAT TGΓAACCAGT TCΓAAAAGCT GIATTTGAGT TTATCACCCT TGΓCACΓAAG 2880 AAAATAAATG CAGGGTAAAA TTTATATCCT T LUM A TGITTOGGTA TAAAACACTA 2940 ATATCAATTT CTGIGGTTAT ACTAAAAGTC GΗTGTTGGT TCAAATAATG ATTAAATATC 3000 TCTΠTCΓCT TCCAATΓGΓC TAAATCAATT TTATTAAAGΓ TCATΓΓGATA TGCCΓCCΓAA 3060 ATTITEATCΓ AAAGΓGAATT TAGGAGGCTT ACIT ICΓGC TTTCΓTCATT AGAATCAATC 3120 CΓΓΓΓΓΓAAA AGTCAATATT ACΓGΓAACAT AAATATATAT TΓΓAAAAATA TCCCAC TTA 3180 TCCAATATTC GTTOCTTAAT TTCATGAACA. ATCTTCATTC TTTCTTCTCT AGTCATTATT 3240 A ια-τcσc GATCTGGTTG AACTACΓCTT TAATAAAATA ATTTΓΓCCGΓ TCCCAATΓCC 3300 ACATTGCAAT AATAGAAAAT CCATCTTCAT CGGCTnTlC GK30XIATCT GTATGAATCA 3360 AATCGCCTTC TTCTGrGTCA TCAAGGΓTTA ATITΓΓTATG TATTTCTTTT AACAAAOCAC 3420 CATAGGAGAT TAACCTTITA CGGTGTAAAC CTTCCTCCAA ATCAGACAAA OIITTCAAAT 3480 TCΠTTCTTC ATCA CGGTC ATAAAATCCG TATCCTTTAC AGGATATΓTΓ GCAGΓT CGΓ 3540 C3ATTGO0GA TTGTATATCC GATTTATATT TATTTTTOQG TOGAATCATT TGAACTTTTA 3600 C3VTTTGGATC ATAGTCTAAT TTCMTGCCT TTTTCCAAAA TTGAATGCAT 'IGHTTI AT 3660 TCAOSTAGTT TTCTGTATTC TTAAAATAAG TTGGTTCCAC ACATAOCAAT AC_ATGCATGΓ 3720 GCTGATTATA AGAATTATCT TTATTATTTA TTGTCACTTC OSTTGCACGC ATAAAACCAA 3780 O^GATΓΓΓΓ ATΓAATΓΓΓΓ T ATATTGCA TCATICGGCG AAATCCΓTGA GCC_ATATCΓG 3840 ACAAACI TT ATTTAATTCT TCGCCATCAT AAACATTTTT AACTGITAAT GTGAGAAACA 3900 ACCAACGAAC TGTTGGCTTT TGTITAATAA CTTCAGCAAC AACCTTTTGT GACTGAATGC 3960 CATGTTTCAT TGCTCTOCTC CAGITGCACA TTGGACAAAG CXJK3GATTTA CAAAACCACA 4020 CrCGATACAA CTTTCTTTCG CX3GTTTCAC GATTTTGΓTT ATACTCΓAAT ATTTCAGCAC 4080 AATCTΓΓ AC TC TTCAGOC TTTTTAAATT CAAGAAIMG CΆGA GΓ^ 4140 CATTAG03AT TTKTTTTCT CTCCATGGTC TCACΠTTCC ACTTITTGTC TTGTCCACΓA 4200 AAACCCTTGA TIΓTTCATCT GAATAAATGC TACTATΓAGG ACACATAATA TTAAAAGAAA 4260 (ooccc TCTA TTTAGΓΓATΓ TGTΓΓAGTCA CTTATAACΓΓ TAACAGATGG GGTTTΠCTG 4320 TGCAACCAAT TTTAAGGGTT TTCAATACTT TAAAACACAT ACATACCAAC ACTTCAACGC 4380 ACCTTΓCAGC AACΓAAAATA AAAATGACGT TATΓTCΓATA TG__ATCAAGA TAAGAAAGAA 4440 CAAGTTCAAA ACXaTCAAAA AAAGACAOCT TTTCAGGTGC T1T1 1TATT TTATAAACTC 4500 ATTGGGTGAT CTOSACTTCG TTCTTTTTTT ACX3CTCGGT TATGAGTTAG TTCAAATTCG 4560 TTCTTTTTAG GTTCTAAATC GKTTTTTCT TGGAATTGTG CTGTTTTATC CTTTACCTTG 4620 TCTACAAACC CCTTAAAAAC GΓTΠTAAAG GCTTTTAAGC (OGTCTGEACG TTOCTTAAG 4679 (2) TNFOPMATION FOR SEQ TD NO 8 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 25 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (Xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ ID NO 8 Met Asn lie Lys Lys Leu Thr Pro leu eu Thr leu Leu Leu Phe Phe 1 5 10 15 He Val Leu Ala Ser Pro Val Ser Ala 20 25 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO 9 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 435 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESOOPTION SEQ ID NO 9 Ala Lys Tyr Leu Glu Leu Glu Glu Gly Gly Val He Met Gin Ala Phe 1 5 10 15 Tyr Trp Asp Val Pro Gly Gly Gly He Trp Trp Asp His He Arg Ser 20 25 30 Lys He Pro Glu Trp Tyr Glu Ala Gly He Ser Ala He Trp Leu Pro 35 40 45 Pro Pro Ser Lys Gly Met Ser Gly Gly Tyr Ser Met Gly Tyr Asp Pro 50 55 60 Tyr Asp Tyr Phe Asp Leu Gly Glu Tyr Tyr Gin Lys Gly Thr Val Glu 65 70 75 80 Thr Arg Phe Gly Ser Lys Glu Glu Leu Val Arg Leu He Gin Thr Ala 85 90 95 His Ala Tyr Gly He Lys Val He Ala Asp Val Val He Asn His Arg 100 105 HO Ala Gly Gly Asp Leu Glu Trp Asn Pro Phe Val Gly Asp Tyr Thr Trp 115 120 125 Thr Asp Phe Ser Lys Val Ala Ser Gly Lys Tyr Thr Ala Asn Tyr Leu 130 135 140 Asp Phe His Pro Asn Glu Leu His Cys Cys Asp Glu Gly Thr Phe Gly 145 150 155 160 Gly Phe Pro Asp He Cys His His Lys Glu Trp Asp Gin Tyr Trp Leu 165 170 175 Trp Lys Ser Asn Glu Ser Tyr Ala Ala Tyr Leu Arg Ser He Gly Phe 180 185 190 Asp Gly Trp Arg Phe Asp Tyr Val Lys Gly Tyr Gly Ala Trp Val Val 195 200 205 Arg Asp Trp Leu Asn Trp Trp Gly Gly Trp Ala Val Gly Glu Tyr Trp 210 215 220 Asp Thr Asn Val Asp Ala Leu Leu Ser Trp Ala Tyr Glu Ser Gly Ala 225 230 235 240 Lys Val Phe Asp Phe Pro Leu Tyr Tyr Lys Met Asp Glu Ala Phe Asp 245 250 255 Asn Asn Asn He Pro Ala Leu Val Tyr Ala Leu Gin Asn Gly Gin Thr 260 265 270 Val Val Ser Arg Asp Pro Phe Lys Ala Val Thr Phe Val Ala Asn His 275 280 285 i Asp Thr Asp He He Trp Asn Lys Tyr Pro Ala Tyr Ala Phe He Leu 290 295 300 Thr Tyr Glu Gly Gin Pro Val He Phe Tyr Arg Asp Phe Glu Glu Trp 305 310 315 320 Leu Asn Lys Asp Lys Leu He Asn Leu He Trp He His Asp His Leu 325 330 335 Ala Gly Gly Ser Thr Thr He Val Tyr Tyr Asp Asn Asp Glu Leu He 340 345 350 Phe Val Arg Asn Gly Asp Ser Arg Arg Pro Gly Leu He Thr Tyr He 355 360 365 Asn Leu Ser Pro Asn Trp Val Gly Arg Trp Val Tyr Val Pro Lys Phe 370 375 380 Ala Gly Ala Cys He His Glu Tyr Thr Gly Asn Leu Gly Gly Trp Val 385 390 395 400 Asp Lys Arg Val Asp Ser Ser Gly Trp Val Tyr Leu Glu Ala Pro Pro 405 410 415 His Asp Pro Ala Asn Gly Tyr Tyr Gly Tyr Ser Val Trp Ser Tyr Cys 420 425 430 Gly Val Gly 435 (2) INPOFMATION FOR SEQ ID NO 10 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (Xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION SEQ ID NO 10 Ala Lys Tyr Leu Glu Leu Glu Glu Gly Gly 1 5 10 (2) INPOFMATION FOR SEQ 3D NO 11 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION SEQ 3D NO U. Val He Met Gin Ala Phe Tyr Tφ Asp Val 1 5 10 (2) 3NFORMATiαJ FOR SEQ 3D NO 12 (i) SEQUENCE OIARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (Xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION SEQ 3D NO 12 Pro Gly Gly Gly lie Trp Tφ Asp His lie 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ 3D NO 13 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 13 Arg Ser Lys He Pro Glu Trp Tyr Glu Ala 1 5 10 (2) INPORMATI-ON FOR SEQ 3D NO 14 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein ( i) SEQUENCE DESααPTION SEQ ID NO 14 Gly He Ser Ala He Tφ Leu Pro Pro Pro 1 5 10 (2) INFCRMATI(ON FOR SEQ 3D NO 15 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCR3PTTQN SEQ 3D NO 15 Ser Lys Gly Met Ser Gly Gly Tyr Ser Met 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ 3D NO 16 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (Xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION SEQ 3D NO 16 Gly Tyr Asp Pro Tyr Asp Tyr Phe Asp Leu 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ 3D NO 17 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION SEQ 3D NO 17 Gly Glu Tyr Tyr Gin Lys Gly Thr Val Glu 1 5 10 (2) INFC)FMATI<ON FOR SEQ 3D NO 18 (i) SEQUENCE OiARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (Xi) SEQUENCE DESααPTICN SEQ 3D NO 18 Thr Arg Fhe Gly Ser Lys Glu Glu Leu Val 1 5 10 (2) 3NP0RMATT0N FOR SEQ ID NO 19 (i) SEQUENCE (.HARACTER3STTCS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (Xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ ID NO 19 Arg Leu He Gin Thr Ala His Ala Tyr Gly 1 5 10 (2) 3]^FORMATICN FOR SEQ 3D NO 20 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein ( i) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 20 He Lys Val He Ala Asp Val Val He Asn 1 5 10 (2) IOTCRMATION FOR EQ 3D NO 21 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRLPTICN SEQ 3D NO 21 His Arg Ala Gly Gly Asp Leu Glu Tφ Asn 1 5 10 (2) 3I^FORMATION FOR SEQ 3D NO 22 (i) SEQUENCE CHARAGTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MDLECULE TYPE protein (Xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 22 Pro Phe Val Gly Asp Tyr Thr Tφ Thr Asp 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO 23 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (Xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION SEQ ID NO 23 Phe Ser Lys Val Ala Ser Gly Lys Tyr Thr 1 5 10 (2) INPCRMATICN FOR SEQ 3D NO 24 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 24 Ala Asn Tyr Leu Asp Phe His Pro Asn Glu 1 5 10 (2) ΓNFCHMAΠON FOR SEQ ID NO 25 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACΓERISΓICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 25 Leu His Cys Cys Asp Glu Gly Thr Phe Gly 1 5 10 (2) TNFCRMATION FOR SEQ 3D NO 26 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (Xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 26 Gly Phe Pro Asp He Cys His His Lys Glu 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ 3D NO 27 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 27 Tφ Asp Gin Tyr Tφ Lai Tφ Lys Ser Asn 1 5 10 (2) 3NFORMATION FOR SEQ 3D NO 28 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION SEQ ID NO 28 Glu Ser Tyr Ala Ala Tyr leu Arg Ser He 1 5 10 (2) 31^F0RMATION FOR SEQ 3D NO 29 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (Xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 29 Gly Phe Asp Gly Trp Arg Phe Asp Tyr Val 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATICN FOR SEQ 3D NO 30 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 30 Lys Gly Tyr Gly Ala Tφ Val Val Arg Asp 1 5 10 (2) 3JIFCRMAITCN FOR SEQ 3D NO 31 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (Xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION SEQ ID NO 31 Trp Leu Asn Tφ Trp Gly Gly Trp Ala Val 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ 3D NO 32 (i) SEQUENCE O-ARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ ID NO 32 Gly Glu Tyr Tφ Asp Thr Asn Val Asp Ala 1 5 10 (2) 3NFCRMATICN FOR SEQ 3D NO 33 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 33 Leu Leu Ser Trp Ala Tyr Glu Ser Gly Ala 1 5 10 (2) 31^FCRMATI0N FOR SEQ 3D NO 34 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 34 Lys Val Phe Asp Phe Pro Leu Tyr Tyr Lys 1 5 10 (2) [INFORMATION FOR SEQ 3D NO 35 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (Xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 35 Met Asp Glu Ala Phe Asp Asn Asn Asn He 1 5 10 (2) INFCRMATICN FOR SEQ 3D NO 36 (i) SEQUENCE OIAPΛCTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 36 Pro Ala Leu Val Tyr Ala Leu Gin Asn Gly 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ 3D NO 37 (i) SEQUENCE fflAPACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION SEQ 3D NO 37 Gin Thr Val Val Ser Arg Asp Pro Phe Lys 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ 3D NO 38 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 38 Ala Val Thr Phe Val Ala Asn His Asp Thr 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATICN FOR SEQ ID NO 39 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (Xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION SEQ 3D NO 39 Asp He He Trp Asn Lys Tyr Pro Ala Tyr 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ 3D NO 40 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION SEQ ID NO 40 Ala Phe He Leu Thr Tyr Glu Gly Gin Pro 1 5 10 (2) 3NFCRMATICN FOR SEQ 3D NO 41 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 41 Val He Phe Tyr Arg Asp Phe Glu Glu Trp 1 5 10 (2) TNPOEMATICN FOR SEQ 3D NO 42 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 42 Leu Asn Lys Asp Lys Leu He Asn Leu He 1 5 10 (2) 3NFORMATICN FOR SEQ 3D NO 43 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION SEQ ID NO 43 Tφ He His Asp His Leu Ala Gly Gly Ser 1 5 10 (2) 33^FORMATION FOR SEQ 3D NO 44 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION SEQ 3D NO 44 Thr Thr He Val Tyr Tyr Asp Asn Asp Glu 1 5 10 (2) DEFORMATION FOR SEQ 3D NO 45 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISriCS (A) LENGIH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION SEQ 3D NO 45 Leu He Phe Val Arg Asn Gly Asp Ser Arg 1 5 10 (2) 33^FORMATICN FOR SEQ 3D NO 46 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 46 Arg Pro Gly Leu He Thr Tyr He Asn Leu 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ 3D NO 47 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGIH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPnCN SEQ 3D NO 47 Ser Pro Asn Tφ Val Gly Arg Trp Val Tyr 1 5 10 (2) 33^FCRMA!ITCN FOR SEQ 3D NO 48 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 48 Val Pro Lys Hie Ala Gly Ala Cys He His 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO 49 (i) SEQUENCE αiARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 49 Glu Tyr Thr Gly Asn Leu Gly Gly Tφ Val 1 5 10 (2) 31JFCRMATICN FOR SEQ 3D NO 50 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGIH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein ( i) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 50 Asp Lys Arg Val Asp Ser Ser Gly Trp Val 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ 3D NO 51 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 10 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRTPTICN SEQ 3D NO 51 Tyr Leu Glu Ala Pro Pro His Asp Pro Ala 1 5 10 (2) TNFCRMATICN FOR SEQ 3D NO 52 (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS (A) LENGTH 15 amino acids (B) TYPE amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION SEQ 3D NO 52 Asn Gly Tyr Tyr Gly Tyr Ser Val Tφ Ser Tyr Cys Gly Val Gly 1 5 10 15

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A DNA construct comprising a DNA sequence encoding a Pyrococcuε α-a ylase or a variant thereof having α-amylase activity and/or being i mulogically cross-reactive with a Pyrococcus α-amylase, said DNA sequence i) comprises a partial DNA sequence as shown in SEQ ID Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5 and/or 6 or an analogue of said partial sequence capable of hybridizing with an oligonucleotide probe prepared on the basis of the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 2, 3, 4, 5 and/or 6, or ii) corresponds to a genomic Pyrococcuε DNA sequence located within 5 kb of a genomic DNA sequence hybridizing with an oligonucleotide probe prepared on the basis of the DNA se¬ quence shown in SEQ ID No. 2, 3, 4, 5 and/or 6, or iii) comprises the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 1 or an analogue of said sequence capable of hybridizing with an oligonucleotide probe prepared on the basis of the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 1. 2. The DNA construct according to claim 1, in which the DNA sequence encoding the Pyrococcuε α-a ylase or a variant thereof corresponds to a genomic Pyrococcuε DNA fragment located between and optionally comprising the partial DNA sequences identified in the appended SEQ ID Nos. 5 and 6 or analogues thereof capable of hybridizing with an oligonu- cleotide probe prepared on the basis of the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 5 and 6, respectively. 3. A DNA construct comprising a Pyrococcuε DNA sequence hy¬ bridizing with a DNA sequence having any of the properties i)-iii) as defined in claim 1. 4. A DNA construct encoding an enzyme exhibiting amylolytic activity and SUBSTITUTESHEET a) comprising a DNA sequence encoding at least one of the partial amino acid sequences (a AKYLELEEGG (SEQ ID NO 10) ; (b) VIMQAFYWDV(SEQ ID NO 11); (c PGGGI DHI(SEQ ID NO 12) (d RSKIPE YEA(SEQ ID NO 13) (e GISAI LPPP(SEQ ID NO 14) (f SKGMSGGYSM(SEQ ID NO 15) (g GYDPYDYFDL(SEQ ID NO 16) (h GEYYQKGTVE(SEQ ID NO 17) (i TRFGSKEELV(SEQ ID NO 18) (j RLIQTAHAYG(SEQ ID NO 19) (k IKVIADWIN(SEQ ID NO 20) (1 HRAGGDLEWN(SEQ ID NO 21) (m PFVGDYTWTD(SEQ ID NO 22) (n FSKVASGKYT(SEQ ID NO 23) (o ANYLDFHPNE(SEQ ID NO 24) (P LHCCDEGTFG(SEQ ID NO 25) (q GFPDICHHKE(SEQ ID NO 26) (r WDQYWLWKSN(SEQ ID NO 27) (s ESYAAYLRSI(SEQ ID NO 28) (t GFDG RFDYV(SEQ ID NO 29) (u KGYGA WRD(SEQ ID NO 30) (v WLNWWGGWAV(SEQ ID NO 31) (x GEYWDTNVDA(SEQ ID NO 32) (y LLS AYESGA(SEQ ID NO 33) (z KVFDFPLYYK(SEQ ID NO 34) (A MDEAFDNNNI(SEQ ID NO 35) (B PALVYALQNG(SEQ ID NO 36) (C QTWSRDPFK(SEQ ID NO 37) (D AVTFVANHDT(SEQ ID NO 38) (E DII NKYPAY(SEQ ID NO 39) (F AFILTYEGQP(SEQ ID NO 40) (G VIFYRDFEE (SEQ ID NO 41) (H LNKDKLINLI(SEQ ID NO 42) (I IHDHLAGGS(SEQ ID NO 43) (J TTIVYYDNDE(SEQ ID NO 44) (K LIFVRNGDSR(SEQ ID NO 45) (L RPGLITYINL(SEQ ID NO 46) (M SPN VGR VY(SEQ ID NO 47) (N VPKFAGACIH(SEQ ID NO 48) (O EYTGNLGGWV(SEQ ID NO 49) (P DKRVDSSGWV(SEQ ID NO 50) (Q YLEAPPHDPA(SEQ ID NO 51) (R NGYYGYSV SYCGVG (SEQ ID NO 52) , and/or b) comprises a DNA sequence hybridizing with an oligonucleot¬ ide probe prepared on the basis of any of the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID Nos. 1-6, on the basis of the amino acid sequence encoded by any of the said DNA sequences or the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9, or on the basis of any of the partial amino acid sequences (a)-(R) listed in a) above, and/or c) encodes a polypeptide being at least 70% homologous with the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9. SUBSTITUTESHEET 5. A DNA construct according to claim 4, in which the enzyme exhibiting amylolytic activity is an α-amylase, in particular a Pyrococcuε α-amylase or a variant thereof having α-amylase activity. 6. A DNA construct according to any of claims 1-5, in which the DNA sequence is derivable from a thermophilic archae¬ bacterium. 7. The DNA construct according to claim 6, in which the DNA sequence is derivable from a strain of Pyrococcuε woeεei or from a strain of Pyrococcuε furioεuε . 8. The DNA construct according to claim 7, in which the DNA sequence is derivable from the Pyrococcuε woeεei strain DSM 3773 or the Pyrococcuε furioεus strain DSM 3638, or from a mutant or derivative of any of these strains having an α- amylase producing capability. 9. A vector harbouring a DNA construct according to any of claims 1-8. 10. The vector according to claim 9, which is a plasmid or a bacteriophage. 11. The vector according to claim 9 or 10, which is an ex¬ pression vector further comprising DNA sequences permitting expression of the amylolytic enzyme, such as a Pyrococcuε a- amylase or variant thereof. 12. A host cell harbouring a DNA construct according to any of claims 1-8 or a vector according to any of claims 9-11. 13. The host cell according to claim 12, which is a microor- ganism. 14. The host cell according to claim 13, which is a bacterium or a fungus. SUBSTITUTESHEET 15. The host cell according to claim 14, which is a gramposi- tive bacterium such as Bacillus subtilis , Bacillus licheni- formiε , Bacilluε lentus , Bacillus brevis , Bacilluε stearo¬ thermophilus , Bacillus alkalophiluε, Bacillus amyloliquefa- cienε , Bacilluε coagulans , Bacillus circulanε , Bacilluε lautuε, Bacilluε thuringienεis or Streptomyceε lividanε or Streptomyceε murinus , or gra negative bacteria such as E. co¬ li . 16. A Bacilluε cell, which is different from a cell of Bacil¬ luε licheniformiε , and which harbours a DNA construct com¬ prising a DNA sequence encoding a Pyrococcus α-amylase or a variant thereof. 17. The Bacillus cell according to claim 16, in which the DNA sequence encoding the Pyrococcuε α-amylase or a variant thereof is derivable from a strain of Pyrococcuε woeεei or from a strain of Pyrococcuε furioεuε . 18. The Bacilluε cell according to claim 17, in which the DNA sequence is derivable from the Pyrococcuε woeεei strain DSM 3773 or the Pyrococcuε furiosus strain" DSM 3638 or a deriva¬ tive or mutant of any of these strains capable of producing α-amylase activity. 19. The Bacillus cell according to claim 16, which is derived from Bacilluε subtilis , Bacillus lentuε , Bacilluε breviε , Bacilluε εtearothermophiluε , Bacilluε alkalophiluε , Bacilluε amyloliquefacienε , Bacilluε coagulans, Bacillus circulanε, Bacilluε lautuε or Bacilluε thuringienεiε . 20. A process for producing an amylolytic enzyme, in particu¬ lar a Pyrococcuε α-amylase or a variant thereof, comprising culturing a cell according to any of claims 12-19 in a suit- able culture medium under conditions permitting expression of the amylolytic enzyme, and recovering the resulting amyloly¬ tic enzyme from the culture. SUBSTITUTESHEET 21. An amylolytic enzyme, in particular a Pyrococcus α-amy¬ lase or a variant thereof having α-amylase activity, produced by the process according to claim 20. 22. A Pyrococcuε α-amylase comprising the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9 or a variant thereof having α-amylase activity and/or being immunologically cross-reactive with the α-amylase comprising the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9 and/or comprising an amino acid sequence being at least 70% homologous to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9. 23. An amylolytic enzyme which a) comprises at least one of the following partial sequences fa AKYLELEEGG(SEQ ID NO 10) (b VIMQAFY DV(SEQ ID NO 11) c PGGGIW DHI(SEQ ID NO 12) (d RSKIPE YEA(SEQ ID NO 13) e GISAI LPPP(SEQ ID NO 14) (f SKGMSGGYSM(SEQ ID NO 15) g GYDPYDYFDL(SEQ ID NO 16) (h GEYYQKGTVE(SEQ ID NO 17) i TRFGSKEELV(SEQ ID NO 18) (j RLIQTAHAYG(SEQ ID NO 19) k IKVIADWIN(SEQ ID NO 20) (1 HRAGGDLEWN(SEQ ID NO 21) m PFVGDYTWTD(SEQ ID NO 22) (n FSKVASGKYT(SEQ ID NO 23) o ANYLDFHPNE(SEQ ID NO 24) (P LHCCDEGTFG(SEQ ID NO 25) q GFPDICHHKE(SEQ ID NO 26) (r WDQY LWKSN(SEQ ID NO 27) s ESYAAYLRSI(SEQ ID NO 28) (t GFDG RFDYV(SEQ ID NO 29) u KGYGAWWRD(SEQ ID NO 30) (v WLNWWGGWAV(SEQ ID NO 31) X GEY DTNVDA(SEQ ID NO 32) (y LLS AYESGA(SEQ ID NO 33) z KVFDFPLYYK(SEQ ID NO 34) (A MDEAFDNNNI(SEQ ID NO 35) B PALVYALQNG(SEQ ID NO 36) (C QTWSRDPFK(SEQ ID NO 37) D AVTFVANHDT(SEQ ID NO 38) (E DII NKYPAY(SEQ ID NO 39) F AFILTYEGQP(SEQ ID NO 40) (G VIFYRDFEEW(SEQ ID NO 41) H LNKDKLINLI(SEQ ID NO 42) (I WIHDHLAGGS(SEQ ID NO 43) J TTIVYYDNDE(SEQ ID NO 44) (K LIFVRNGDSR(SEQ ID NO 45) L RPGLITYINL(SEQ ID NO 46) (M SPN VGR VY(SEQ ID NO 47) N VPKFAGACIH(SEQ ID NO 48) (0 EYTGNLGGWV(SEQ ID NO 49) P DKRVDSSG V(SEQ ID NO 50) (Q YLEAPPHDPA(SEQ ID NO 51) R NGYYGYSV SYCGVG (SEQ ID NO 52) , and/or b) is encoded by a DNA sequence hybridizing with an oligonu¬ cleotide probe prepared on the basis of any of the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID Nos. 1-6, on the basis of the amino acid sequence encoded by any of the said DNA sequences or the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9, or on the basis of any of the partial amino acid sequences (a)-(R) listed in a) above, and/or c) is at least 70% homologous with the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9. 24. An amylolytic enzyme according to claim 23, in which the enzyme is a Pyrococcus α-amylase or a variant thereof having α-amylase activity. 25. A starch liquefaction process which comprises subjecting an aqueous starch slurry to enzymatic liquefaction in the presence of a Pyrococcus α-amylase or a variant thereof according to any of claims 21-24. 26. The starch liquefaction process according to claim 25, in which the process is performed essentially without addition of a calcium salt to the starch slurry. 27. The starch liquefaction process according to claim 25 or 26, in which the process is conducted by jet-cooking at a temperature in the range of 100 to 140°C for up to 120 min¬ utes, optionally followed by reduction of the temperature to be held in the range of 90 to 100°C for about 30 to 120 min- utes, after which the thus liquefied starch is stable against retrogradation, the pH being held at about 4.0 to 5.5 throu¬ ghout the process. 28. The starch liquefaction process according to any of claims 25-27, whereby the liquefied starch is subjected to enzymatic saccharification in the presence of a glucoamylase, substantially without an intermediate pH adjustment. SUBSTITUTESHEET 29. The starch liquefaction process according to claim 28, further comprising ethanol fermentation with yeast simulta¬ neously with or subsequent to said saccharification. 30. A starch liquefaction method comprises a) culturing a suitable host cell according to any of claims 12-19 carrying a DNA sequence encoding a Pyrococcus α-amylase or variant thereof having α-amylase activity in a suitable culture medium under conditions permitting expression of the Pyrococcuε α-amylase or variant thereof, and recovering the resulting α-amylase or variant thereof from the culture, and b) subjecting an aqueous starch slurry to enzymatic liquefac- tion in the presence of the α-amylase or variant thereof recovered in step a) . 31. Use of an amylolytic enzyme as defined in any of claims 21-24 for starch liquefaction and/or saccharification, debra- nching of starch, production of syrups, production of cyclod- extrin, or production of oligosaccharides. SUBSTITUTESHEET

Inventors: JORGENSEN STEEN TROELS, JORGENSEN, STEEN, TROELS
Applicants: NOVONORDISK AS, NOVO NORDISK A/S
Application year: 1994
Main classification: C12N9
IPC codes: C12N1, C12N9, C12N15, C12P7, C12P19, C12R1